Xanthomonas gum is an excellent and widely used suspending and viscosity building agent. Some of its particular uses are in oil well fluids, paint, sprays and cleaning fluids. Xanthomonas gum however has a few disadvantages. It is very difficult to disperse and wet in water or brine so that hydration can take place. A high degree of shear is usually necessary to wet each gum particle. Once dispersal and wetting are accomplished the hydration of the gum, as evidenced by the development of viscosity, is quite rapid.
Glyoxal has been complexed with guar for the purpose of improving dispersion. Xanthomonas gum and guar exhibit very different rheological characteristics, have different molecular configurations and are obtained from entirely different sources. Guar is obtained from the endosperm of the guar bean while xanthomonas gum is produced through fermentation by the Xanthomonas Campestris bacteria.
Glyoxal and guar only react at a pH level of 6.4 or less. Glyoxal and Xanthomonas gum will react at a pH level of about 8.0 or less. An addition of an acid is not necessary to achieve a glyoxal complex with xanthomonas gum whereas it is necessary for successful complexing of glyoxal with guar.